showcase italy issue 667

Oct 2017

Welcome to Showcase Italy, brought to you by Production Paradise. This issue features some of the leading photographers, photo and film production and service companies, location scouts, photo post production companies, make-up artists, and casting agencies currently working out of Italy.

You can find more creative professionals and facilities for photographic and film production in our Rome (Photo / Film) and Milan (Photo / Film) directories.

Personae - the first big retrospective on Elliott Erwitt, gathering 170 B/W and colour works by the renowned American photographer. Until 7th January 2018 at Musei San Domenico e Musei Civici - Forlì, Emilia-Romagna.

A Different Vision On Fashion Photography - Peter Lindbergh's photography exhibition curated by Thierry-Maxime Loriot and produced by Kunsthal Rotterdam. Until 4th February 2018 at Reggia di Venaria, Torino.

Mandala Creative Productions was founded in 1998 and has quickly become a point of reference for production services, photographic shoots and special events.

Over the years, the company has expanded to represent photographers from all over the world specialised in different areas, from advertising to fashion, food, interiors, CGI and still life. As a full service company, Mandala Creative Productions supports clients in creative, logistic and conceptual direction, set and event coordination, all with high attention to details.

Mandala Creative Productions’ highly specialised staff includes a range of professionals with backgrounds in production, styling, event organisation, communication, advertising, fashion, editorials and still life.

Aura Photo Agency was founded in Milan in 1995. It is an international photographer´s representative and production company, representing the best international photographers in fashion, beauty, still life, food, interiors, lifestyle, celebrities and portraiture as well as stylists, make-up artists, CGI artists, set designers, art directors, casting directors and illustrators.

With more than 22 years' experience in the field, the company's strong presence means it is regularly in demand internationally. Aura Photo Agency offers great quality at human prices as well as 360° assistance on every kind of photographic production in Italy and Europe, for editorial or advertising shoots.

Shoot in The Alps is a film and photo facilitating company operating in the European Alps; France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia as a single geographic entity. The company handles everything from location scouting, specialised crews, stunt people, mountain safety experts and helicopters to warm cups of espresso at the top of a glacier!

Shoot in the Alps' strength lies in detailed knowledge of the alpine territory provided by a network of professionals who live and work in the region throughout the year. Its database includes everything a client's imagination will ask for, and more.

"A glacier in Switzerland might not be as accessible as one in Austria, and the snow in Italy might be softer than in France... or everything could be just the opposite. We will take you to where your production needs to be."

Chamonix is closer to Milan than Paris; Lake Como is one hour away from Saint Moritz; Kranjska Gora is one hour and half from sandy beaches; and for six months a year, clients can shoot their models skiing on day one, and swimming in the sea on day two. Shoot in The Alps has access to snow 365 days a year.

The team works with crews and suppliers from Milan, Geneva, Zurich, Munich, Innsbruck and Ljubljana, offering the best equipment and the highest level of professionalism.

Lupetta 5 & BelowTheLine is a full production service company and one of the most prestigious location agencies in Italy. Lupetta 5 staff support clients and production companies in any production request for commercials, photo shoots, videos, documentaries and events.

The company's locations archive is one of the largest in Europe and can offer a wide choice of spectacular locations in Italy and across the continent, as well as immediate feedback on availability.

Based in Milan and Rome, the European capitals of fashion, design and historical heritage, Lupetta 5 cultivates artistic and business relationships with the main fashion and design brands, fostering creative links with art directors and emerging interior designers.

With more than 10 years of experience in international productions, Lule Production is a full service company based in Italy with a focus on photography as a commercial medium.

The company manages all aspects of a production, from accommodation to specifc location scouting. Finding the best models for a shoot is also a speciality.

For each production the company chooses only the best and most qualifed professional freelancers, creating a team of professionals that works in unison. A successful combination of advertising and fashion is its hallmark.

Working with high-level professionals to fulfil all creative needs, Contents Production's young and dynamic team have been leaders in production in Rome and beyond since 2003.

The company is synonymous with communication in all its forms, transforming customer requirements into innovative solutions for video and photographic productions all over Italy, especially in the centre/south including Tuscany, Naples and the Amalfi Coast, Sicily and Puglia.

With a 360° service covering all needs of a project, from concept to final result, the company offers location scouting, permissions, casting, camera and lighting equipment rental, technical hire (fashion van and sets), hair stylists, make-up artists, stylists, art buyers, set designers and tool makers.

Contents is also one of the largest rental studio in Rome, composed of two big open spaces: the main one measuring 20x10m with a limbo 7x7m, the second measuring 15x10m. Both have a 6m ceiling height and separate make-up and bathrooms. The studio is easily connected to the main train station (20 min) and to the airport (40 min).

Sicily, the southern-most region of Italy, is where Scenari Production has been based for more than 20 years. Working across the entire country, Scenari Productions offers enthusiastic production services for the advertising and fashion industries.

MM Productions has the flexibility to produce for every need at prices far below expectation, working with clients of all sizes for international advertising, local below-the-line or catalogue projects.

"Italy is our home, so come and get a slice of Italian style in your productions! We’ll reveal the secrets of the wolrd’s most outstanding locations."

Thanks to over 15 years of experience in Italy and abroad, Allucinazione is able to offer a full range of services for any kind of photographic or video production. The company can take care of all phases of production, including casting, location scouting and recce, permits, equipment, transport and hotels. Its international staff include expert and bi-lingual assistants, digi-techs and post-producers.

Available for rent - in studio or on location - is a full range of continious and flash lighting equipment, photo cameras, HD video cameras and consumables. Allucinazione works only with the best brands available including Canon, Hasselblad, Nikon, Profoto, Arri and Kino Flo.

The studio is centrally located, a few steps from Piazza Navona, and is divided into various spaces in order to create a better working environment. An entrance dedicated to client comfort measuring 10m x 7m x 3,7m and a room dedicated to styling, hair and make-up. The post-production area is situated across the central garden and is dedicated to all digital editing phases. The entire studio has a high speed optical fibre connection of 250/Mbps.

Dreamteam is a production company operating worldwide. Based in Milan and Ibiza, Dreamteam provides full production service for advertising, fashion and commercial shoots.

Taking care of every technical aspect, the company is able to deliver a full production service from brief to final stage. Through a package of multiple services Dreamteam helps clients manage and turn their ideas into reality, no matter how unusual they may be!

Around Venice Production is the place where photo shoots and much more happen "around Venice!" Advising on production management and budget control, the company has the resources to handle small-to-medium scale productions for editorial and commercial shoots.

"Our experience has allowed us to appreciate the needs and working methods of international clients, many of whom have become regular partners. We work by anticipating everybody’s requirements, resolving problems, responding swiftly to unexpected situations and by offering a range of options to get better schedules, shoots and overall production value."

The team represents photographers, hair and make-up artists, stylists and movie makers. Clients include national and international brands who are guaranteed the highest standards of work throughout the production process - from location scouting to casting.

Around Venice Production deals with productions in Venice and the surrouding areas, including the beautiful Dolomites and the numerous villas of the Veneto region.

Paradisiacal seascapes, age-old mountain villages, rolling hills, a billowing volcano, Arcadian pastures, abandoned country villas, bustling metropoli, Greek theatres and ancient traditions. These are just a few of the reasons why so many directors choose to send their teams to produce in Sicilia.

With a mix of international and local crews, Etna Productions has reached the perfect balance of pairing knowledge of the Sicilian territory along with the needs of visiting international clients.

"Our crew are highly professional, exceptional team players, multi-lingual and above all extremely capable of thinking quick on their feet, innovating and helping in every situation. Etna Productions know how to make you feel at ease from the moment you land on the island to the end of the production process - from budgeting and research to the most challenging times during the shoot. We’ll make you feel at home!

As we reach the pinnacle of the European summer, we’ve put together a showcase of some of our amazing locations. It has been a busy season and we don’t see it slowing down anytime soon! In recent months we have had the pleasure of working with international clients producing a documentary to catalogue shooting with Urban Outfitters. No matter the job, we’re ready for any challenge!"

Sicily Productions is a full service production company with head office in Sicily and Sardinia. The company provides a premier service for all aspects of photography and moving pictures including, location scouting and permitting, catering, budgets, travel arrangements and all other production needs. The team´s expertise and local knowledge in each area, provides the best location options in all Italy, and include Sicily, the Sicilian Islands, Sardinia, Puglia and the beautiful Amalfi coast.

Specialised in TV commercials, TV series and documentaries and with production capacity in both northern and southern Italy, Filmika is a flexible service and executive production company based in Turin.

Filmika is a pool of creative talents; DOPs, editors, producers, actors and set designers.

Filmika supports everything required for a successful production, from estimation to completion, including casting, crew, location scouting and permits, prop hire, travel and hotel reservations, transportation, catering and equipment rental. The company's city-centre studio is also available featuring backstage green room, office and editing suite all conveniently located next to an associated audio recording studio.

Massimo Masini's deep attraction to photography originates from his childhood when he began taking pictures and developing them in a darkroom that today he jokingly remembers as the “magic room."

His first professional exposure was in the cinema as an assistant director of photography. Shortly after, he began collaborating as a photographer with the leading advertising, fashion and publishing agencies for the performing arts.

Today, Massimo is known and appreciated internationally. An eclectic and unmistakable style inspired by the simplicity of shapes and geometries, many of his images fill the pages of the most important and prestigious magazines, promoting companies and highlighting extraordinary figures. In recent years, his work has been recognised with international awards.

Andrea Sudati is a Milan-based advertising photographer specialised in food, beverage, still life, cosmetics and commercial film. He works around the world but has a personal photo studio complete with kitchen facilities ideal for shooting food images in collaboration with the most important food stylists and art buyers.

In his shoots, realized with the Hasselblad digital back, the product has the absolute leading role in the image thanks to his accurate compositions.

Fabio Costì is a fashion, beauty, portrait and advertising photographer based in Milan. He studied sculpture at the Art Academy of Naples and discussed his degree thesis in photography. His work has featured in numerous private and collective exibitions since his early years as an artist and photographer.

His interest in the field of fashion photography brought him to Milan, where from the beginning he cooperated with fashion brands and magazines. He is highly appreciated for his creative approach to photography.

Fabio teaches 'Photography Language' at IED College in Milan and he also works as art director for Boutique Agency, also based in Milan, taking care of brands like Roberto Cavalli, Bikkembergs and Luisa Spagnoli.

"Viewed as a whole, Andrea Varani's photos make us think of an album that a distinguished explorer continues to add to over the years, with images of trips to spectacular, at times remote places in the company of wonderous creatures.

They are portraits of landscapes in tones that are both icy and intimate, at the same time far removed yet similar in style, reminiscent of a documentary by Wenders who entrusts Irving Penn and other masters of the 20th Century with the role of director of photography.

Places so geographically distant that only the constant search for beauty (that never breaks out into ostentation), can bring so intimately close together.

Thousands of miles flown each year, meticulous, frenetic organisation, frequent changes of programme, and finally, arrival in the most disparate landscapes with their alternating seasons, in order to capture beauty in a brief moment, and then return it with calm wonder. Fashion that is worn, interpreted at times with alienated postures, at others with bemused participation, becomes the cause and effect of every shot and every journey."

Four Studios Communication is a professional location offering solid experience in the field of integrated support for photo shoots, commercials, film and photographic productions, corporate or private events. It provides the best technical and professional solutions including logistics, research and location leasing as well as professional staff.

The large workspace is ideal for the construction of movie sets, television studios and private events. The company's services are 360° and based on client needs. Four Studios has a complete selection of rental equipment available in-house and is happy to help locate any specialty equipment needed. Further, it offers a new car care service handled by expert technicians able to meet specific demands; a van fully equipped for car/moto maintenance during exterior shoots, temporary plates and provisional drivers.

Important campaigns include FCA, Adidas, Puma, GNV, Vodafone and Lavazza.

Visit the website to learn more about the company's services and stages.

"At the newly renovated Cantiere Bovisa, you can free your creativity, making the most out of the variety of sets using the most unusual props. It is the Ideal location for photo and video productions, any sort of event, art exhibition or private party.

Chosing Cantiere Bovisa, you have the advantage of being in a house with all the benefits of a photo studio. Big spaces, natural lighting and the possibility of staging two or three sets at the same time all maximise efficiency.

A fully equipped kitchen is the best setting for your food shoot with a dedicated space for food stylists. We have last minute offers for your budget restrictions and we can offer an amazing catering service for your crew. Email for more information."

Valeria Orlando is a beauty director, make-up artist and hair stylist with over 25 years of experience working for fashion, advertising, editorials and catwalk events.

Valeria has collaborated with many renowned photographers including Mario Testino, Steven Klein, Gian Paolo Barbieri, Johan Rench, Eolo Perfido, Andrea Massari and Stefania Paparelli. Her work has been published in leading fashion magazines such as Elle Ukraine and Vogue Russia in collaboration with renowned stylists such as Donatella Versace and celebrities including Catherine Zeta Jones and Lena Katina. Her clients also include world-famous international agencies such as Saatchi & Saatchi, Leo Burnett and BBDO.

Valeria is based in Milan but travels throughout the world to locations including Rome, Rio De Janeiro, London and New York City. In September 2016, she was a key artist at New York Fashion Week SS17. In June 2017, she was Key Artist at Balkan Fashion Week.

Valeria speaks Italian, English, Spanish and Portuguese fluently. Honesty and passion are the distinctive elements of her approach, and she continually works on her professional development to improve her knowledge about new techniques in the cosmetic industry.

Valeria has her own make-up line V)Or Makeup. As an artist she is represented by Beleza in Rio De Janeiro (Brazil), Current Studios in the USA, and Arc et la Tour in France.

Silvia Gerzeli is a freelance make-up artist and hair stylist based between Florence and the Italian lakes, working across Italy and internationally. She specialises in fashion make-up and hairstyling for photo and video clients.

Her passion for make-up means her portfolio is constantly growing thanks to the many collaborations she is involved in. She also focuses on special effects and body painting and continually studies new techniques, with regular trips to London and across Europe to work with local professionals to learn about the latest styles.

She collaborates with LuiMagazine as an art director and teaches at a renowned make-up school in Florence and Rome.

Silvia is extremely diligent and precise and "absolutely loves" her job! She appreciates the many different facets and genres that allow her to provide clients with the very best results - not only concerning make-up and hair, but also through her presence on set.